Food Package with Slidable Container Members

ABSTRACT

A food package ( 10 ), comprising: an inner member ( 20 ) with inner lateral walls ( 24   a,    24   b ) that define a lateral space ( 30 ) in-between, and a lower aperture ( 34 ); and an outer member ( 60 ) including a support ( 62 ) with a receiving surface ( 64 ). The inner and outer members are slidably arranged along a longitudinal direction (X) between: an engaged position, wherein the support portion engages the inner lateral walls, so that the space and the receiving surface jointly form a receptacle for holding food ( 16 ), and a released position, wherein the inner lateral walls and support portion are mutually displaced to expose the lower aperture. The outer member has outer lateral portions ( 68   a,    68   b ) for enclosing the inner lateral walls in the engaged position, and which extend upwards to second upper edges ( 74   a,    74   b ) that are level with or protrude beyond first upper edges ( 36   a,    36   b ) of the inner lateral walls.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a package for holding a food portion, and comprising an inner package member and an outer package member that are slidingly arranged and adapted for transferring the food portion to a serving surface.

BACKGROUND ART

There is a considerable consumer market for ready-to-serve meals that are easy to prepare. Accordingly, there have been significant developments in disposable food packages for ready-to-serve meals. Such packages are often stored and sold with a pre-made meal contained inside under a protected atmosphere. Typically, such a package with the meal can be heated in an oven, a microwave, or in hot water. After heating and opening of the package, the meal can be consumed directly out of the package. Alternatively, the heated meal may first be transferred from the food package to a plate or the like.

Patent document WO2006/115457A1 (Gillblad et al.) describes a food package for first heating and then transferring a food portion to a serving surface. One of the described food packages comprises a box-shaped container part wherein upper and lower surfaces have been omitted, and a rigid rectangular bottom part that is insertable into the container part via a slit and along grooves provided at a lower side of the container part. The bottom part is adapted to be inserted into and removed from the container part via a sliding motion along the grooves and through the slit. In an inserted state, the resulting container part and the bottom part jointly form a receptacle for holding a portion of food. The food may be removed from the package by removing the bottom part while keeping the container part steady above a serving surface, so that the food will fall onto a serving surface.

This known food package is relatively difficult to seal in an air-tight manner. The maximum preservation time for the packaged food portion will be severely limited in the absence of an (adequate) air-tight seal. Hence, for the known food package, the types of food that can be held and the conditions under which food can be stored seem rather limited.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It would be desirable to provide a food package with slidable members that enables an improved sealing of the package, e.g. to improve the preservability of the food, and/or to improve the handling or storage of the package.

Therefore, according to an aspect, there is provided a food package, comprising: an inner package member including lateral walls that define an interspace along a lateral direction, and a lower aperture in a vertical direction; and an outer package member including a support portion with a receiving surface. The inner package member is slidably arranged with respect to the outer package member along a longitudinal direction between: an engaged position, wherein the support portion is engaged with the lateral walls, so that the interspace and the receiving surface jointly form a receptacle for holding a food portion, and a released position, wherein the lateral walls are displaced with respect to the support portion to expose the lower aperture. The outer package member comprises lateral portions for enclosing the lateral walls of the inner package member in the engaged position. The lateral portions extend from the support portion to second upper edges, which are level with or protrude beyond first upper edges of the lateral walls along the vertical direction.

In the proposed food package with mutually slidable inner and outer package members, lateral food confinement is provided by the inner package member, while vertical food confinement and sealing regions are provided by the outer package member. The inner package member in the engaged position comprises lateral walls but omits a surface (region) for supporting food in the vertical direction. Due to gravity, separation of the package members will cause an enclosed food portion to be discharged from the food package via the lower aperture of the inner package member. The outer package member restricts movability of the inner package member along lateral and vertical directions, but allows separation of the inner package member from the outer package member along the longitudinal direction. By providing the outer package member with lateral portions and upper edges that extend up to or even beyond upper edges of the inner package member, the inner package member is allowed to be (temporarily) bounded from the lateral and vertical sides, for example by attaching a releasable sealing sheet or foil that temporarily forms a top wall.

Each of the inner and outer package members of the food package according to the invention is preferably composed of a plastic material, which is integrally formed (e.g. via thermoforming, casting or molding processes) into a semi-rigid unibody structure with fluid-tight walls and/or surfaces. The term “semi-rigid” is used herein to refer to structures that may have some flexibility but retain their general shape under normal handling conditions (i.e. standard gravity, typical package measurements of 3 centimeters to 40 centimeters per transversal dimension, 3 centimeters to 20 centimeters in a height dimension, and meal portions with typical mass densities of 200 to 1200 kilograms per meter cubed [kg/m³] and total weights of about 50 grams to 1 kilogram). The term “fluid tight” pertains to the wall and surface structures per se, but not to any void (e.g. aperture or slot) that is deliberately formed in the structure for a functional reason. Such voids may be sealed by other means, for example by the sealing foil mentioned herein above.

According to embodiments, the food package may comprise a releasable sealing foil that, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position, is fixed to the second upper edges of the outer package member and is spanned across the first upper edges of the inner package member.

According to an embodiment, the outer package member comprises a raised edge provided on a front side of the support portion. The raised edge forms a boundary of the receiving surface in the longitudinal direction. The raised edge may provide a mechanical resistance that helps to keep the inner package member fixed in the engaged position with respect to the outer package member.

According to a further embodiment, the raised edge is adapted for abutting the lower edge of the inner package member when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position. The raised edge may thus improve sealing between the inner and outer package members, to keep (fluid components of) the food contained inside the food package.

According to an embodiment, the inner package member comprises a flange that extends along the lower edge, and which is directed inwards along the longitudinal and lateral directions, wherein the flange is adapted for abutting the receiving surface when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position. The flange may further improve the sealing between the inner and outer package members.

According to embodiments, the lateral portions of the outer package member comprise curved wall sections that protrude in the longitudinal direction beyond the lateral walls of the inner package member, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position. The curved wall sections provide continuous smoothly curved edges for conveniently attaching a sealing foil, to seal off the food receiving region inside the food package from the environment, both in the vertical direction as well as in the longitudinal direction.

In embodiments, the inner package member comprises a rear wall along the lateral direction. The lateral walls are connected via the rear wall and jointly define an inner U-shape. This U-shape is preferably smoothly curved, to retain the food in a predetermined arrangement, even when the inner package member and outer package member are moved from the engaged position back towards the released position (which eventually causes the food to be discharge from the lower aperture of the inner package member).

According to embodiments, the inner package member comprises outer lateral surfaces with first sliding members. In addition, the outer package member comprises inner lateral surfaces with second sliding members. The first and second sliding members are adapted to cooperate to allow a sliding motion between the inner and the outer package members along the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the sliding members are formed by simple rails structures, which are easy to manufacture integrally with the package members from a wide range of materials (e.g. plastics, metals, etc) and production techniques (e.g. thermoforming, molding, casting, etc.).

According to embodiments, the space in the inner package member is formed as a through opening extending through the inner package member along the vertical direction. The through opening opens into an upper aperture delimited by the first upper edge and in a lower aperture delimited by the lower edge.

In embodiments, the inner package member comprises a first locking member. In addition, the outer package member comprises a second locking member. The first locking member and second locking member are adapted to establish a clamping engagement if the first and second package members are in the engaged position.

According to embodiments, the inner package member comprises a first gripping member provided on an outer front surface, for moving the first package member with respect to the second package member between the engaged position and the released position.

According to embodiments, the outer package member comprises a cross beam, which is provided between frontal corner regions of the lateral upper edges, and which defines upper front edges for attaching first and second releasable sealing foils to upper and front regions of the outer package member, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position. The separate package openings facilitate the application and/or removal of the respective sealing foils, and the resulting food package may be made structurally more robust.

According to embodiments, the outer package member comprises an upper wall, which is provided at the upper edges, and which defines an upper front edge for attaching a releasable sealing foil to a front region of the outer package member, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position. This embodiment allows manufacturing of food packages with a significantly higher mechanical robustness.

In preferred embodiments, the inner package member and the outer package member consist essentially of Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate (CPET). The (partially) crystalline structure of CPET retains its shape at relatively high temperatures. CPET is particularly suitable for use with food products that are to be heated in microwaves and ovens. CPET forms a barrier against atmospheric constituents (e.g. water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen), and retains its shape, while providing good impact resistance from relatively low to high temperatures, e.g. within a temperature range of 0° to 220°.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts. In the drawings, like numerals designate like elements. Furthermore, multiple instances of an element may each include separate letters appended to the element number. For example two instances of a particular element “20” may be labeled as “20a” and “20b”. In that case, the element label may be used without an appended letter (e.g., “20”) to generally refer to every instance of the element, while the element label will include an appended letter (e.g., “20a”) to refer to a specific instance of the element.

FIGS. 1a-1c show perspective views of a food package according to an embodiment;

FIGS. 2a-2b show perspective views of a food package according to another embodiment;

FIGS. 3a-3d show perspective views of a food package according to yet another embodiment, and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a food package according to yet another embodiment.

The figures are meant for illustrative purposes only, and do not serve as restriction of the scope or the protection as laid down by the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following is a description of certain embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only and with reference to the figures. In the figures, various directions are indicated for defining positions, orientations, and motions of the described objects. Cartesian coordinates are used herein to describe spatial relations for exemplary embodiments of the food package shown in several of the figures.

In general, the food package embodiments described herein comprise two separate package members that are arranged movably with respect to each other along a predominantly linear trajectory. The label “X” is used herein to indicate a longitudinal direction, corresponding to this linear direction of motion. Prepositions “front” and “rear” pertain to this longitudinal direction X. The label “Y” is used to indicate a lateral direction that is transverse to X, and relates to terms like “left”, “right”, and “lateral”. The longitudinal direction X and transversal direction Y jointly span a plane that preferably is substantially parallel to the horizontal during use of the food package embodiments. The longitudinal direction X and the lateral direction Y may generally be transverse with respect to each other, but are preferably mutually perpendicular. The label “Z” is used to indicate a vertical direction that is perpendicular to both X and Y. Terms like “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower” pertain to the vertical direction Z.

The spatial definitions presented herein relate to preferred orientations in which described objects are to be used. The described embodiments are preferably used for holding a food portion inside while keeping the food package in a specific orientation with respect to gravity (e.g. with a food supporting surface facing predominantly opposite to the gravity vector). The concepts of the invention described herein are, however, not limited to these directional definitions. It should be understood that when the orientation of the food package is changed with respect to the gravity vector, the directional relations (“upper” “lower”, “lateral”, “vertical”, etc) should be changed accordingly. The terms “longitudinal”, “lateral”, and “vertical” may therefore be substituted by the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” respectively, wherever appropriate.

The term “surface” is used herein to generally refer to two-dimensional parametric surface regions, which may have either a planar (e.g. a polygonal surface), curved (e.g. cylindrical, spherical, parabolic surface, etc), recessed (e.g. saw-tooth or undulated surface), or even a complex shape. The term “plane” is used herein to refer to a flat surface (i.e. a simple surface spanned by two intersecting non-coinciding lines).

FIGS. 1a-1c illustrate a food package 10 according to a first embodiment. The food package 10 comprises two package parts: an inner package member 20 and an outer package member 60, which are slidably arranged with respect to each other along a first direction X (the “longitudinal direction”). The inner and outer package members 20, 60 form separate package bodies that are slidably joinable into a releasable interlocking configuration. In this configuration, the inner package member 20 and the outer package member 60 are adapted to slide along the longitudinal direction X between an “engaged position” and a “released position”, which will be explained in more detail below.

The inner package member 20 comprises an annular body (elements 24 a-24 d, jointly indicated by reference numeral 24) that is formed as a peripheral wall, which extends in the vertical direction Z, and which traces out a closed path in an XY-plane spanned by the longitudinal direction X and a lateral direction Y. The annular body 24 comprises two first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b, a first rear wall 24 c, and a first front wall 24 d. The first front wall 24 d and the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b are connected by wall portions that are curved in the XY-plane. The first rear wall 24 c and the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b are connected to form a curved semi-circular profile on a rear side. A projection of the resulting annular body 24 onto the XY-plane resembles a rounded D-shape, which assists in laterally retaining a meal 16 in a predetermined arrangement.

The inner package member 20 comprises a through opening 30 in a center region, which is surrounded by the first walls 24 a-24 d of the annular body 24. Viewed along the lateral direction Y, the through opening 30 forms a space between the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b. The inner package member 20 defines an upper surface with an upper aperture 32, and a lower surface with a lower aperture 34 opposite to the upper aperture 32. The through opening 30 extends along the vertical direction Z from the upper aperture 32 through the inner package member 20 to the lower aperture 34. The through opening 30 defines a void with a size that is typically suitable for receiving the meal 16 or portion thereof.

The upper aperture 32 of the inner package member 20 is delineated by an upper aperture perimeter corresponding to an upper edge 36 of the annular body 24. The upper edge 36 traces out a D-shaped trajectory that extends predominantly in a plane parallel with the XY-plane. Similarly, the lower aperture 34 of the inner package member 20 is delineated by a lower aperture perimeter corresponding to a lower edge 38 of the annular body 24. The lower edge 38 traces out a D-shaped trajectory that extends predominantly in another plane parallel with the XY-plane.

The inner package member 20 may optionally comprise a flange 40 along the lower edge 38. The flange 40 is directed transversely inwards, and along the longitudinal and lateral directions X and Y. The flange 40 is adapted to abut against the receiving surface 64 of the outer package member 60, to establish a nearly sealing engagement when the inner and outer package members 20, 60 are in the engaged position.

The annular body 24 of the inner package member 20 defines a set of outer surfaces 26 a-26 d, which face laterally outwards away from the through opening 30. The outer surfaces 26 a-26 d comprise two outer lateral surfaces 26 a, 26 b, an outer rear surface 26 c, and an outer front surface 26 d. The outer surfaces 26 a-26 d do not necessarily form planar surfaces. In general, the outer surfaces 26 a-26 d (and other surfaces) may comprise various kinds of structures, like ridges, recesses, flanges, embossments, etc. Such structures may be provided to perform specific functions, or may be a result of a selected construction technique.

The inner package member 20 may for example be provided with a couple of first sliding members 42 a, 42 b on the outer lateral surfaces 26 a, 26 b. In this embodiment, the first sliding members 42 a, 42 b are formed by a pairs of ridges and recesses, which jointly form a rails arrangement that is adapted to engage with second sliding members 82 a, 82 b, to allow a sliding motion of the inner package members 20 along the longitudinal direction X (see FIG. 1c ).

The inner package member 20 comprises a first locking member 46 provided on the outer rear surface 26 c of the first rear wall 24 c. The first locking member 46 is adapted to cooperate with a second locking member 86 provided on the outer package member 60, to establish a clamping engagement if the inner and outer package members 20, 60 are in the engaged position. In this example, the first locking member 46 is formed as a semi-rectangular/trapezoidal embossment in the first rear wall 24 c, forming a rearwards protrusion.

In this embodiment, the inner package member 20 comprises a first gripping member 44 provided on the outer front surface 26 d. The first gripping member 44 is formed by a tab that extends parallel with the XY-plane, and which protrudes outwards along the longitudinal direction X. The first gripping member 44 allows a user to exert a force in the longitudinal direction X on the inner package member 20, to induce a motion of the inner package member 20 with respect to the outer package member 60 from the engaged position into the released position.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1a -1 c, the outer package member 60 comprises a planar body portion or support portion 62 on a lower side thereof, and an upright wall portion 68 extending along a perimeter of the support portion 62. The support portion 62 defines a food support surface 64 that, during use, preferably faces upwards along the vertical direction Z to support the food portion 16 and minimize risk of spilling.

On a front side, the support portion 62 terminates in a front edge 75 c. The support portion 62 of the outer package member 60 comprises a raised edge 80 that is near to and extends along the front edge 75 c. The raised edge 80 forms a barrier at the boundary of the receiving surface 64. The raised edge 80 is adapted for abutting against the lower edge 38 of the inner package member 20, when the inner and outer package members 20, 60 are in the engaged position.

The upright wall portion 68 of the outer package member 60 comprises second lateral walls 68 a, 68 b and a second rear wall 68 c, which extend in the vertical direction Z. The support surface 64 forms a central region surrounded by the second rear and lateral walls 68 a-68 c. In this embodiment, the support portion 62 forms a flat structure that extends on a lower side between the second lateral walls 68 a, 68 b and the second rear wall 68 c. The second lateral walls 68 a, 68 b continue into the second rear wall 68 c, to form a connected wall portion that extends in a U-shaped curved trajectory along part of the support portion 62. The second lateral walls 68 a, 68 b extend from the support portion 62 upwards to second lateral upper edges 74 a, 74 b. Similarly, the second rear wall 68 c extends from the support portion to a second rear upper edge 74 c. The second upper edges 74 a-74 c jointly form a second upper edge 74.

On a front side, the lateral walls 68 a, 68 b comprise curved wall sections 78 a, 78 b. The curved wall sections 78 a, 78 b curve from the second upper edge 74, downwards via lateral-frontal edges 75 a, 75 b along the negative vertical direction −Z towards the front edge 75 c.

The upright wall portion 68 defines two inner lateral surfaces 72 a, 72 b and an inner rear surface 72 c. The outer package member 60 is provided with a couple of second sliding members 82 a, 82 b on the two inner lateral surfaces 72 a, 72 b. In this embodiment, the second sliding members 82 a, 82 b are formed by rails (ridges and recesses), which are adapted for engaging with respective first sliding members 42 a, 42 b, to restrict relative motion of the first and second package members 20, 60 along the lateral direction Y and the vertical direction Z, while allowing mutual motion along the longitudinal direction X.

The outer package member 60 comprises a second locking member 86, which is provided on the inner rear surface 72 c of the second rear wall 68 c. The second locking member 86 is adapted to cooperate with the first locking member 46 of the inner package member 20, to establish a clamping engagement when the inner and outer package members 20, 60 are in the engaged position. In this example, the second locking member 86 is formed as a second semi-rectangular/trapezoidal embossment in the second rear wall 68 c, which is shaped to accommodate the rearwards protrusion of the first locking member 46 in a clamping manner. A slight flexibility of either one or both of the first locking member 46 and the second locking member 86 allows the clamping engagement to be released if a sufficient relative force is exerted between the inner and outer package members 20, 60 along the longitudinal direction X.

The first sliding members 42 a, 42 b and second sliding members 82 a, 82 b are adapted to cooperate to form a releasable interlocking configuration between the first package member 20 and the second package member 60. This interlocking arrangement allows the inner package member 20 and the outer package member 60 to slide linearly with respect to each other along the longitudinal direction X, while restricting motion along the lateral direction Y and along the vertical direction Z. In the interlocking configuration, the inner package member 20 and the outer package member 60 are slidably engaged with respect to each other between the engaged position and the released position.

In the engaged position (depicted in FIGS. 1a and 1b ), the inner package member 20 and the outer package member 60 are positioned in a mutually abutting arrangement, wherein the support portion 62 of the outer package member 60 is engaged with the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b of the inner package member 20. In this way, the through opening 30 in the inner package member 20 and the receiving surface 64 on the outer package member 60 jointly form a receptacle for holding the food portion 16.

In the engaged position, the annular body 24 of the inner package member 20 and the support portion 62 of the outer package member 60 jointly define the receptacle for holding the food portion 16. The first lower edge 38 of the inner package member 20 (e.g. the flange 40) abuts the receiving surface 64 of the outer package member 60, to establish a (nearly) sealing engagement that reduces leakage of fluid food components. In the engaged position, the second lateral walls 68 a, 68 b of the outer package member 60 enclose the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b of the inner package member 20. In this position, the second lateral upper edges 74 a, 74 b of the outer package member 60 are level with or even protrude beyond the first lateral upper edges 36 a, 36 b of the inner package member 20 (viewed along the vertical direction Z).

In the engaged position, the curved wall sections 78 a, 78 b of the outer package member 60 protrude in the longitudinal direction X beyond the lateral walls 24 a, 24 b of the inner package member 20.

In this engaged position, a food portion 16 can be accommodated inside the receptacle defined by the food package 10. The accommodated food portion 16 will be bounded from a lower side by the receiving surface 64, and bounded from lateral sides by the annular body 24. After loading the food portion 16 into the food package 10, a foil 18 may be attached to the second lateral upper edges 74 a, 74 b of the outer package member 60, to form an upper package boundary. The foil 18 may be attached in a sealing manner along the entire edge formed by the second upper edges 74 a-c and (via the curved wall sections 78 a, 78 b) the front edges 75 a-c. The food portion 16 and the inner package member 20 may thus be bounded and sealed by the foil 18 on an upper side as well as a front side. Sealing by the foil 18 may yield a food package 10 in a sealed state, wherein the inner package member 20 and the food portion 16 are accommodated inside the receptacle in an air-tight sealed manner.

The food package 10 in the sealed state is illustrated in FIG. 1a , although the sealing foil 18 has been removed here in one corner to illustrate the principle (it should be understood that removal of the foil will cancel the sealed state).

In the released position, the inner package member 20 and the outer package member 60 are displaced with respect to each other (via a linear trajectory). In the released position, the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b of the inner package member 20 are displaced with respect to the support portion 62, and do no longer jointly define the receptacle for holding the food portion 16.

Due to the displacement between the first lateral walls 24 a, 24 b and the support portion 62, the lower aperture 34 becomes exposed. Therefore, the food portion 16 will no longer be supported from the lower side. Under the influence of gravity, the food portion 16 will fall through the lower aperture 34 to a serving surface (e.g. a food plate) below the food package 10. The semi-circular rear section of the first rear wall 24 c (in the rounded D-shape of the annular body 24) assists in keeping the food portion 16 in a pre-determined arrangement as it is transferred to the serving surface. FIG. 1c illustrates an intermediate state between the engaged position and the released position.

FIGS. 2a-2b illustrate a food package 110 according to another embodiment. Features that have already been described above with reference to the first food package embodiment 10 (FIGS. 1a-1c ) may also be present in the food package 110 shown in FIGS. 2a -2 b, and will not all be discussed here again. For the discussion with reference to FIGS. 2a -2 b, similar reference numbers are used for similar features, but differing in one hundred to distinguish the embodiments.

In this embodiment, the inner package member 120 also comprises an upright wall 124 that extends substantially upwards along the vertical direction Z. The upright wall 124 comprises first lateral walls 124 a, 124 b, and first rear walls 124 c, 124 e, but in contrast to the first embodiment, does not include a first front wall. The first rear wall 124 c and the lateral walls 124 a, 124 b are connected to form a first U-shape on a rear side. Similarly, the second rear wall 124 e and the lateral walls 124 a, 124 b are connected to form a second U-shape on the rear side. A projection of the resulting upright wall 124 onto the XY-plane traces out a nested U-shape. The curved space between the first rear wall 124 c and the second rear wall 124 e may form a gripping region that allows a user to exert a force in the longitudinal direction X on the inner package member 120, to reposition the inner package member 120 with respect to the outer package member 160 between the engaged position and the released position (e.g. see FIG. 2b ).

The first lateral walls 124 a, 124 b define a space 130 along the lateral direction Y. The space 130 forms a void between the first lateral walls 124 a-b with an upper opening 132 and a lower opening 134 that face the positive and negative vertical directions +Z and −Z respectively.

In this embodiment, the support portion 162 comprises a receded region 163 that is lower than a surrounding region of the support portion 162, and which helps to reduce spilling (fluid components) of a meal portion 116. Preferably, transitions between edges of the receded region 163 and the surrounding region have a fillet profile, to facilitate cleaning.

A sheet of sealing material 118 (not depicted) may be provided on a top side and front side of the outer package member 160, in a manner similar as in the previous embodiment, and FIG. 1a in particular.

FIGS. 3a-3d illustrate a food package 210 according to yet another embodiment. Features that have already been described above with reference to the first food package embodiments 10 (FIGS. 1a-1c ) may also be present in the food package 210 shown in FIGS. 3a -3 d, and will not all be discussed here again. For the discussion with reference to FIGS. 3a -3 d, similar reference numbers are used for similar features, but differing by two-hundred to distinguish the embodiments.

Analogous to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1a -1 c, the embodiment in FIGS. 3a-3d comprises an outer package member 260 with second lateral walls 268 a, 268 b and a second rear wall 268 c. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3a -3 d, an upper wall 277 is provided that is connected to upper edges of the second walls 268 a-c. Accordingly, the second lateral walls 268 a, 268 b do not comprise curved wall sections.

The second walls 268 a-c, the support portion 262, and the upper wall 277 may be integrally formed as a single container body that is structurally more robust. Due to the presence of the upper wall 277 without an upper opening, insertion of food 216 into the food package 210 via this direction will be prohibited. Instead, the inner package member 220 is provided with a second tray 290 with an upper surface for temporarily supporting the food 216 prior to sliding the inner package member 220 into the outer package member 260 (see FIG. 3a ). The tray 290 is separately moveable and slidably accommodated by the annular body 224 of the inner package member 220, at or near a lower edge 238 of the annular body 224. To accommodate the second tray 290, the annular body 224 may for example comprise an insertion slit on a front face and sliding recesses on inner lateral surfaces. The tray 290 is provided with a tab 292 for manipulating the position of the second tray 290 with respect to the annular body 224 and with respect to the outer package member 260.

After the inner package member 220 with the food 216 has been inserted into the outer package member 260, the second tray 290 may be removed from the inner package member 220 (see FIG. 3b ). As a result, a lower aperture 234 of the inner package member 220 (only indicated in FIG. 3d ) will be opened, causing the food 216 to drop until it is carried directly by the support portion 262 of the outer package member 260. This yields the “engaged position” of the package members 220, 260.

As illustrated in FIG. 3c , the food package 210 in the engaged state may then be sealed to isolate the food 216 from the environment. On a front side of the outer package member 260, the support portion 262, the second lateral walls 268 a-b and the upper wall 277 terminate in respective front edges 275 a-d, which jointly form a front opening, and which are adapted for affixing a sealing foil 219 thereto. The sealing foil 219 may be attached to this front edge region 275 a-d to seal off this front opening.

FIG. 3d illustrates that the sealing foil 219 may be removed again at a later stage e.g. after heating of the food package 210 and the food 216 contained therein. The inner package member 220 may then be moved via the front opening into the released position, so that the food 216 may be released via the lower aperture 234 of the inner package member 220, thereby allowing the food 216 to fall through to another surface (e.g. a plate) located directly below the food package 210.

FIG. 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of a food package 310. Features that have already been described above with reference to the previous embodiments may also be present in the food package 310 shown in FIG. 4, and will not all be discussed here again. For the discussion with reference to FIG. 4, similar reference numbers are used for similar features, but differing by three-hundred to distinguish the embodiments.

Analogous to the previous embodiments, the embodiment in FIG. 4 comprises an outer package member 360 with second lateral walls 368 a, 368 b and a second rear wall 368 c, which terminate in upper edges 374 a, 374 b, 374 c respectively. The support portion 362 terminates in a front edge 375 c. In contrast to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1a -1 c, the second lateral walls 368 a, 368 b do not comprise curved wall sections that curve from the lateral upper edges 374 a, 374 b downwards to the front edges 375 a-c. Instead, a cross beam 379 is provided between the lateral upper edges 374 a, 374 b. This cross beam 379 extends between frontal corner regions of the upper edges 374 a, 374 b, and serves as a lateral spacer structure for the second lateral walls 368 a, 368 b. The cross beam 379 effectively divides the opening delineated by the upper edges 374 a-c and front edges 375 a-c into an upper opening and a front opening. The cross beam 379 defines two (additional) transversal edges 374 d, 375 d for affixing sealing foils 318, 319.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a first sealing foil 318 is attached to an upper edge region 374 a-d, and a second sealing foil 319 is attached to a front edge region 375 a-d. The first and second sealing foils 318, 319 are selectively attachable and removable, to facilitate insertion and removal of food 316 and sealing of the package. The separation into distinct sealing surfaces facilitates sealing, as it avoids positioning difficulties that may arise during the attachment and sealing of a sheet/foil along curved or sharp-edged wall trajectories.

Initially, food 316 may be positioned into the food package 310 via the upper opening, followed by attachment of the first sealing foil 318. The second seal 319 may be attached at any time, either before or after attachment of the first sealing foil 318.

The second sealing foil 319 may be removed again at a later stage e.g. after heating of the food package 310 and the food 316 contained therein. The inner package member 320 may then be moved via the front opening into the released position, so that the food 316 may be released via the lower aperture (not indicated, but similar to FIG. 1c ) of the inner package member 320, thereby allowing the food 316 to fall through to another surface (e.g. a plate) located directly below the food package 310.

The descriptions above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that alternative and equivalent embodiments of the invention can be conceived and reduced to practice, without departing from the scope of the claims set out below.

For example, the first and second sliding members may be different, to provide a different motion restriction properties in the lateral direction Y and the vertical direction Z, and/or a different sliding characteristics along the longitudinal direction X. These motion characteristics may be adjusted by altering the mutual distances and play between the sliding members, and/or by changing the rigidity of the materials from which the sliding members are made.

Note that for reasons of conciseness, the reference numbers corresponding to similar elements in the various embodiments (e.g. elements 110, 210 being similar to element 10) have been collectively indicated in the claims by their base numbers only i.e. without the multiples of hundreds. However, this does not suggest that the claim elements should be construed as referring only to features corresponding to base numbers. Although the similar reference numbers have been omitted in the claims, their applicability will be apparent from a comparison with the figures.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

Similar reference numbers that have been used in the description to indicate similar elements (but differing only in the hundreds) have been omitted from the list below, but should be considered implicitly included.

-   10 food package -   16 food portion -   18 sealing member (sheet) -   20 first package member (inner package member) -   24 peripheral wall (annular body) -   24 a-b first lateral wall (lateral portion of inner package member     2×) -   24 c first rear wall (rear portion of inner package member e.g     U-shaped) -   24 d first front wall (front portion of inner package member) -   26 a-b first outer lateral surface -   26 c first outer rear surface -   26 d first outer front surface -   28 a-b first inner lateral surface -   28 c first inner rear surface -   28 d first inner front surface -   30 interspacing (e.g. through opening) -   32 upper aperture (top opening of inner package member) -   34 lower aperture (bottom opening of inner package member) -   36 first upper edge (upper rim of inner package member) -   36 a-b first lateral upper edge -   36 c first rear upper edge -   36 d first front upper edge -   38 first lower edge (lower rim of inner package member) -   40 inward flange/rim (inward protruding seal member) -   42 a-b first sliding member (e.g. rails on inner package member) -   44 first gripping member (e.g. tab) -   46 first locking member -   60 second package member (outer package member) -   62 support portion (tray portion) -   64 receiving surface (food support surface e.g. recessed region) -   68 upright wall portion -   68 a-b second lateral wall (lateral portion of outer package member     2×) -   68 c second rear wall (rear portion of outer package member e.g.     U-shaped) -   70 a-b second outer lateral surface -   70 c second outer rear surface -   72 a-b second inner lateral surface -   72 c second inner rear surface -   74 second upper edge (upper rim of outer package e.g. rounded     U-shape) -   74 a-b second lateral upper edge -   74 c second rear upper edge -   75 a-b lateral front edge -   75 c front edge -   78 a-b curved wall section (rounded section of second lateral wall     on front side) -   80 raised edge (e.g. ridge) -   82 a-b second sliding member (e.g. rails on second package member) -   84 second gripping member (e.g. rear bracket) -   86 second locking member -   88 receptacle (fluid compartment) -   130 further locking member (insert) -   277 upper wall -   290 further support portion (e.g. tray) -   292 third gripping member (e.g. tab) -   319 further sealing member (sheet) -   379 cross bar -   X first direction (longitudinal direction/sliding direction) -   Y second direction (lateral direction) -   Z third direction (vertical direction) 

1. A food package, comprising: an inner package member including lateral walls that define an interspace along a lateral direction, and a lower aperture in a vertical direction; an outer package member including a support portion with a receiving surface; wherein the inner package member is slidably arranged with respect to the outer package member along a longitudinal direction between: an engaged position, wherein the support portion is engaged with the lateral walls, so that the interspace and the receiving surface jointly form a receptacle for holding a food portion, and a released position, wherein the lateral walls are displaced with respect to the support portion to expose the lower aperture; wherein the outer package member comprises lateral portions for enclosing the lateral walls of the inner package member in the engaged position, and wherein the lateral portions extend from the support portion to second upper edges, which are level with or protrude beyond first upper edges of the lateral walls along the vertical direction.
 2. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the space in the inner package member is formed as a through opening extending through the inner package member along the vertical direction, wherein the through opening opens into an upper aperture delimited by the first upper edge and in a lower aperture delimited by the lower edge.
 3. The food package according to claim 1, comprising a releasable sealing foil that, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position, is fixed to the second upper edges of the outer package member and is spanned across the first upper edges of the inner package member.
 4. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the outer package member comprises a raised edge provided on a front side of the support portion, wherein the raised edge forms a boundary of the receiving surface in the longitudinal direction.
 5. The food package according to claim 4, wherein the raised edge is adapted for abutting the lower edge of the inner package member when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position.
 6. The food package according to claim 5, wherein the inner package member comprises a flange that extends along the lower edge, and which is directed inwards along the longitudinal and lateral directions, wherein the flange is adapted for abutting the receiving surface when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position.
 7. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the lateral portions of the outer package member comprise curved wall sections that protrude in the longitudinal direction beyond the lateral walls of the inner package member, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position, and wherein each curved wall section curves from the respective second upper edge downwards along the negative vertical direction toward a front edge of the outer package member.
 8. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the inner package member comprises a rear wall along the lateral direction, wherein the lateral walls are connected via the rear wall and jointly define an inner U-shape.
 9. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the inner package member comprises outer lateral surfaces with first sliding members, wherein the outer package member comprises inner lateral surfaces with second sliding members, and wherein the first and second sliding members are adapted to cooperate to allow a sliding motion between the inner and the outer package members along the longitudinal direction.
 10. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the inner package member comprises a first locking member, wherein the outer package member comprises a second locking member, and wherein the first locking member and second locking member are adapted to establish a clamping engagement if the first and second package members are in the engaged position.
 11. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the inner package member comprises a first gripping member provided on an outer front surface, for moving the first package member with respect to the second package member between the engaged position and the released position.
 12. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the outer package member comprises a cross beam, which is provided between the lateral upper edges and extends between frontal corner regions thereof, which is located between an upper opening and a separate front opening in the outer package member, and which defines upper front edges (for attaching first and second releasable sealing foils to the upper opening and the front opening when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position.
 13. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the outer package member comprises an upper wall, which is provided at the upper edges, and which defines an upper front edge for attaching a releasable sealing foil to a front region of the outer package member, when the inner and outer package members are in the engaged position.
 14. The food package according to claim 1, wherein the inner package member and the outer package member consist essentially of Crystalline Polyethylene Terephthalate (CPET). 